


One More Promise

by mycitruspocket



Category: Different for Girls (1996)
Genre: Domestic, Established Relationship, F/M, Fluff and Angst, Living Together, letswriterupertgraves
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2013-06-30
Updated: 2013-06-30
Packaged: 2017-12-16 08:47:18
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 2,108
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/860223
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/mycitruspocket/pseuds/mycitruspocket
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>As the bedroom door banged Paul knew it was too late to do or say anything else, he had lost. And if he didn’t come up with something special this time, he would probably lose more than he could bear.</p>
            </blockquote>





	One More Promise

**Author's Note:**

> Written for Rupert Graves 50th birthday!
> 
> Thank you, Erasmus_Jones, as always, for being there for me and my stories. <3

 

“PRENTICE!” He heard Kim shouting from the kitchen and buried his face deeper into the cushions of the sofa, where he sprawled lazily, half listening to a football match on the telly and half asleep.

“Yeah?” Paul growled back, the sound muffled from the cushion.

“Get your arse over here right now!”

With a deep sigh he sat up, rubbing his sleepy face and ran a hand through his messy hair before he scuffled across room on one socked and one bare foot.

“And what have I done wrong this time?” He asked annoyed but as he saw a furious looking Kim staring at him, he knew his statement didn’t improve the situation.

“This time Prentice, you put my gran’s china into the dishwasher AGAIN! The décor pattern is almost gone now and you know how much it means to me. I’ve told you how many times?”

“Dunno,” he shrugged his shoulders, “a hundred times maybe?”

“And why on earth did you put it in again?”

“Because you said I should do the dishes more often…”

“Well, thanks but we talked about this Prentice, I…” She looked at the cup in her hands, stroking her fingers over the pale, washed out flower decoration. The anger on her face vanished, replaced by a deep sadness. “It’s impossible Prentice, I thought that I could do it, that _we_ could do it, but… I know you try but it’s not working. It’s not just the cup, it’s everything! You destroyed half my clothes when you tried to do the laundry, most of my crockery is either cracked or in pieces, you flooded the bathroom because you broke the tap, my carpet smells of cheap beer and is dotted with cigarette burns…” She shook her head and closed her eyes, facing away from him.

Seeing her at such a loss made his heart ache, he didn’t want to be the cause of her sadness or anger but he always was, it didn’t matter how hard he tried to do things the right way. Well, basically he tried to do things _her_ way but it was so difficult sometimes. To handle the crockery with more care, to not mix the colours and whites in the wash,  or not falling asleep on the sofa with a fag in his mouth and a bottle in his hand.

“Look, I’m sorry, OK? I’ll remember next time.” Paul took a step towards her but she held out her hand to stop him from getting closer.

“No, you won’t.”

“And what do you want me to do then?”

Kim looked at him, resigned and tired and suddenly it dawned to him what she wanted.

“Kim please, I… I’ll do anything, just tell me you don’t throw me out?”

“You tell me! How many times will you promise me to do everything? How many times will you promise me that you’ll remember next time? No more promises, I can’t believe them anymore. We’ve been through this so many times, Prentice. I just don’t know how to make you understand that I can’t live like this. And I tried too, but I just can’t.” Now tears were welling in her eyes. Oh how he hated himself when he made her cry.

“Kim, I’m begging you! Please, please give me another chance, just one and I really promise you I…” Paul reached out his hand but she flinched and hurried out of the kitchen.

“NO! Just leave me alone!”

As the bedroom door banged he knew it was too late to do or say anything else, he had lost. And if he didn’t come up with something special this time, he would probably lose more than he could bear.

First of all, she needed time to herself. Paul knew as much because after a year living with her and quite a few fights he did learn a little, even if Kim was convinced he didn’t. So he decided to go away for a while, it would be for the best. He grabbed his bag and leather jacket from the hall floor, searching vainly for his lost sock until he gave up and pulled on the other boot without it. Closing the door silently behind him, he left the flat and went outside to get their bike, riding out into the cool night.

*

As the sun began to rise he made his way back into the city, he had driven around without a destination, just trying to clear his mind and think of how he could apologise to Kim properly. He wasn’t very creative in those things and the only idea he had was to find at least one identical cup in an antique shop, giving her flowers was getting a little old now. He’d replace everything he had broken, but even though Kim got him a job in a printing press, he only earned enough to pay a little of the rent and not much more.  And so he asked around to find as many shops as possible where you could find antique or second hand china, every time describing the decor in detail over and over just to receive the same disappointing answer. It was nowhere to be found and he was more than a bit exhausted in the evening as he almost screamed at the nice old lady behind the counter.

“Shit, shit, shit!” He swirled around, slamming his fist onto the counter. “Oh sorry, I’m sorry, it’s just that if I turn up without a really good apology I’ll lose her, you now?” He began pacing around nervously, scratching his head vacantly.

“Now, you calm down young man. It’s late anyway so I’m going to close the shop right now and you tell me your story, all right?” She looked at him mysteriously and it seemed that she really meant what she said.

“What? I mean really”?

“Well, helping a young man get things sorted out with his girlfriend is much more exciting than everything I thought was awaiting me this evening.” She went to the front door and turned the key as well as the open/closed sign and waved him to follow her into the back room where she put the kettle on immediately. “Now come on,” she pushed him into a seat at the small table “tell me your story, and by that I mean the whole story.”

“Um…” Paul considered it for a moment because the whole story was quite long, his fingers fumbling at the rim of the table.

“Don’t be shy, believe me I heard a lot of crazy stories in my life, yours can’t be so special or am I wrong?”

“Yeah, you might be.” He said with a huge smile lightning up his face and told her their story, which began 16 years ago. She listened captivated as he talked nonstop whilst pacing up and down in that tiny room, not able to sit down quietly. Flailing his arms around when he got to the exited parts and ruffling his hair when he repeatedly fucked something up, until he finally reached the present day and let himself fall back into the chair, looking at her curiously.

“Well my dear, I would say you’ve earned it.”

“Sorry, what?” Now that was confusing, did he miss something?

“You stay here, I get it for you.”

“But…”

“No, sit back down now, do you hear me?” She was pointing at him with her index finger. Obeying, he sat down again, she reminded him a lot of his scary grandmother. Paul heard her climbing up the stairs into what probably was her flat above and waited impatiently, fidgeting in the chair. Actually he had no time for this, he thought she’d give him some advice, not go and get him some biscuits. Although, he hadn’t eaten all day but before he started to realise how hungry he was, she came back with a cup and a saucer which looked incredibly familiar.

“Christ, you told me you didn’t have one for sale!”

“This one isn’t for sale, my dear. It’s very precious to me and beyond price.”

“Great, then why are you showing me this?”

“Because I’m going to give it to you for free.”

“Wow, really?”

“Really! But I’ve got two conditions.”

“Which were?”

“Firstly, you are going to buy something else from my shop, do come along.” She grabbed him by his collar and pulled him towards a jewellery counter of her shop and pulled out a tray filled with various rings.

“You want me to buy her a ring?” He asked stupidly, she nodded and Paul looked at them suspiciously but then decided that it was actually a very good idea. Picking up each and every one of the rings in front of him and eyeing them intently, he asked her what the second condition would be.

“That you invite me to the wedding of course.”

Paul almost dropped the ring he held in his hand, the colour draining from his face in seconds.

*

Paul was pretty sure he had never been so nervous in his entire life. On the threshold of their flat stood the cup, containing the ring, and waited for him to ring the doorbell. A few horribly long minutes later he finally pushed the button and quickly hid at the corner behind the elevator. He waited until he heard the door open and risked to peek around the corner. Kim picked up the cup and looked curious into the empty hallway. Paul took a deep breath and stepped out of his hiding place, now or never.

“Prentice, what…”

“Shhh, don’t say anything and let me explain.” Slowly Paul approached her with a warm smile, he saw that she had been crying, her cheeks were still wet he she hid something in her left hand behind her back. As he finally reached her he stroked his thumb over her wet skin, making her smile in return.

“I know I’m all over the place and there is no excuse for all the things I’ve messed up. But there ain't nothing I can do about it. I’m still acting like a vending machine, will never be pension plan material and  I will always be chaos, trouble and fuss but I’m yours to keep if you still want me. There is only one girl in the world for me and she’s right here with me.“

With shaking fingers he took the ring out of the cup Kim was holding and fell to his knees, but when he looked up at her he saw her giggling.

“Oh come on, I’m trying to be serious here.” Suddenly very insecure he looked down on the floor, hiding his blush.

“No, don’t be a fool Prentice, it’s just so _you_ that you prepared a speech out of lyrics from your favourite songs. It’s lovely and now go on so I can answer.” She ruffled his hair with the hand she had hidden so far and he could see that she held on to the sock he had lost last night and huffed.

“Just for the record, I didn’t destroy the romantic mood.”

“Duly noted.” She was beaming down at him which gave him back his courage.

“Kim, please marry me, please?” Holding out the ring Paul noticed that he was shaking now, this was probably the most important question he had ever asked and was relieved that she didn’t take her time to answer. She put aside the cup and the sock, kneeling in front of him and taking his face in her hands she kissed him sweetly, only pulling back slightly to whisper “Yes, yes, yes,” against his lips.

Paul grunted in relief, kissing her fiercely and pushed her onto her back to straddle her lap, right there in the hallway. Holding up her hand he brushed his lips against her knuckles before he slipped the ring over her finger. Kim smiled brightly and obviously deeply moved, she admired the silver band now decorating her hand.

“No more promises but this one, Prentice. I love you just as you are and letting you promise all those things you couldn’t fulfil was wrong. I was so angry but when I found your sock between the sofa cushions, I knew I’d miss every bad habit of yours if it was gone. And when you didn’t come back all day…”

“You cried into my sock.” He finished her sentence and laughed, bending down to kiss her nose and looking deep into her eyes. “I was only gone all day because it was bloody hard to find that cup. Kim, I’ll always turn up again, just like my sock.”


End file.
